Pomona Council approves financial assistance for Chamber of Commerce

Pomona City Council members adopted a resolution Monday to appropriate $24,000 from the city's general fund reserves for the Pomona Chamber of Commerce.

The council also authorized using $1,267 from the current fiscal year's general fund to pay for the city's membership in the Chamber through March 2014.

Funds for the city's membership in the organization were included in the city's 2012-2013 fiscal year budget.

Resident M. Joyce Bakersmith told Council members the city should not give the Chamber of Commerce financial assistance when the city has limited funds and needs to provide funding for the Pomona Public Library.

Councilwoman Paula Lantz said she would support the proposal but said it was the last time she would do so.

"Our budget has to have different priorities," she said.

Of the $24,000 about $9,000 will go toward the chamber's rent and $15,000 is for event sponsorships, a city staff report said.

City personnel are working with Chamber officials to plan for a future without or with limited city financial assistance, the staff report said.

City representatives are also working with Chamber representatives to possibly move the Chamber operations from its current offices within the Mission Promenade and into a city facility where they could pay lower costs, the staff report said. Rent is the chamber's biggest expense.